Shewwwie!
I don’t know about y’all, but I feel like I’ve waded through the overwhelming waters of incessant text messages, emails, and other ads since last week about all of the things that are on sale. It’s felt SO overwhelming for me that I’ve even been unsubscribing from companies and products I DO love. The decision fatigue of “how should I spend my money?” and “is this a good deal that I won’t get again?” has felt extra draining for me this year. Have you felt that too?
From my perspective, I think it’s because I have been so inundated with constant information, from the news to sales, to things we actually do want to see, that I’m just feeling pretty over it and like I want to run away and hide in the mountains, or at the very least sit in a sensory depreciation tank for an entire afternoon. Unfortunately, that doesn’t line up with my reality. Yours either? Damn. Well, let’s consider what we can do.
As Ayurveda & Yoga tell us, everything is connected. Likes increase and opposites balance; so if we’re feeling scattered from lots of mobility, irregularity, and constant input; we need to bring in the opposite qualities associated with stability, rhythm, and less stimulation.
Here’s some steps we can take to welcome this idea in this season:
Reduce Input:
I’m looking at you second-screener out here multitasking watching Great British Bakeoff and scrolling through Pinterest for pottery ideas at the same time (it’s me–I’m her). Just like your gut’s digestive system cannot function well if you are overloading it with tons of different things all at once, neither can your mental/emotional digestive system. Part of the reason we are all feeling so overwhelmed is because of our constant consumption. We’re not meant to be inundated with input like we are. Try practicing curiosity–What’s it like to ingest one thing at a time? Can I eat my meal and just eat my meal? Can I watch a show and just watch a show? Can I spend time with a friend without being on my phone? Don’t be harsh on yourself–just notice what you notice and use that information to make the changes you can.
Slow Down:
This time of year for many is so busy, running from holiday event to holiday event, shopping, etc. that we find ourselves just rushing all the time. What would it be like to move more slowly? Maybe that means you need to take a few things off your calendar. Perhaps you need to say ‘no thanks’ when someone asks you to do something you don’t actually want to do. Maybe that means you need to adjust your schedule and your sleep/wake times. Again, be curious–what would allow you to move a bit more slowly right now?
Maintain Rhythm:
It’s really challenging to stick to your normal routines this time of year, but can you maintain a small rhythm through your days by sticking to roughly the same sleep/wake times and meal times? Be gentle and give yourself an hour window around your planned times. I can’t emphasize enough how much of a difference this gentle rhythm makes and how adding small rituals can also support our systems. Even a 10 minute morning and/or evening routine makes a difference.
Rest More:
Do I mean actually sit your ass down and rest more if you’ve been running around and multitasking like nobody’s business? Yes, yes I do–but also there are different types of rest. You might need more active rest like doing some gentle movement, a yoga practice, some light stretching, or rolling around on your floor with some therapy balls. Perhaps you need social rest like spending time with loved ones who actually fill your cup (not drain it and trigger you left and right). Maybe you need sensory rest–see ‘reduce input’ above. You might also consider spiritual rest–connecting with your spiritual practices, whatever they may be–or even creative rest–persuing fulfilling creative outputs. There’s more to rest than just napping or sleeping more (which I totally recommend this time of year); we also need to fill our cups in ways that fill us with joy and bliss. Practice curiosity again–what’s one thing you could do to rest in each of these ways over the coming weeks?
Get Cozy:
Remember–we’re using opposites to find balance. It’s not fully winter yet, but it’s already getting chilly and dry. Bring some warmth into your life–dress warmly (use a scarf and hat), cuddle up in a comfy blanket when you can, massage yourself with warm Ayurvedic oils, eat warm and nourishing foods, and sip on warm water and/or teas. What makes you feel cozy? Maybe it’s getting in a comfy blanket and watching your favorite holiday movie or perhaps it’s sitting next to a fire and reading a cozy book. Even the small ways of bringing warmth into your life this time of year matter!
If you’re still here with me, take a nice slow exhale.
Just acknowledging everything tugging at our attention and what we can do to find balance already feels like a tiny act of reclaiming ourselves. And that’s really the heart of it, right? We don’t have to escape to the mountains (though listen, I’m not opposed) to find some steadiness. We can start right here, in the messy, noisy reality we’re living in, by choosing even one small opposite action that brings us back home to ourselves. So as we move through the rest of this season, may we all find a pocket of slowness, a spark of warmth, a moment of genuine rest. And may those tiny choices remind us that we get to shape our days—not the sales emails, not the noise, not the overwhelm. Let’s keep choosing what feels grounding, nourishing, and real.
If you’re craving an evening of slowness and reduced input, I’d love it if you joined me for my upcoming Candlelit Holiday Season Reset on Sunday, December 28th. It’s an hour and a half of gentle movement, guided breathing, and intentional rest–all by candlelight. I hope to see you there.
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